DISPENSER/STORAGE CONTAINER FOR A TWINE BALL

Abstract: The dispenser/storage container is constructed essentially as two hemispherical shells (2, 3) which can be closed together to form a sphere or ball, however comprising a wide, depressed section (5) running round, across the joining circle (19) of the hemispheres (2, 3), which section (5) is bounded by abrupt, straight edges (6) so as to enable winding up the twine in the groove (5) between the edge (6). The twine outlet orifice (4) is situated within the depressed section (5), and there is provided a quick-action fastening means for twine which has been pulled out and wound up, in the form of a squeeze tongue (10) at the edge (12) of one of the hemispheres (3).

Description: Dispenser/storage container for a twine ball The present invention relates to a device for storing a twine ball and for controlled feed-out of lengths of twine. A similar device is known from U.S. patent no. 1.040. 740, which deals with a two-part twine container. The two parts are shaped substantially as two short cylinders which are screwed together right toward each other, and with a slanted, truncated cone surface and thereafter a crosswise surface for closure on both sides. One part lies somewhat inside the other, and by a slight rotary movement of one part relative to the other and thereafter a pull in a direction along the cylinder axis, the two parts can be separated from each other to provide access to the inside of the container, where a specially wound twine ball can be inserted. An outlet orifice for twine pulled off from the ball, is provided in the wall of the one part, on the cylinder axis. The container is specially constructed to be fastened to a person ' s belt, and has a clip or a hoop to provide such a function. The outlet opening is particularly adapted to make twine slide easily and unobstructed out of the container. The container also has a knife edge on its outside for quick cutting of a twine end. The device of U.S. patent no. 1.040.740 is unsuitable when it comes to solving the following problem: Often one would like to keep a twine end which has been pulled out, in order to use it again later. However, if this entails that a somewhat long twine end must lie loose in an untidy fashion, one would rather select the uneconomic solution which is to sever the twine end and throw it away. Thus, one lacks an effective container function for rapidly being able to keep a twine end in a tidy manner. The present invention solves the abovementioned problem by providing a dispenser/storage container of the type stated precisely in the appended patent claim 1. By means of this novel construction of a twine container there is also provided an option for further favourable functions, and the constructive solutions appear from the remaining patent claims appended hereto. The invention shall now be described in more detail by mentioning specific embodiment examples, and the preferred construction at the time of writing shall be illuminated in particular. At the same time it is referred to the appended drawings, where fig. 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the container according to the invention, in an open state, fig. 2 shows the same object as in fig. 1 , however in a closed state, fig. 3 shows a section through an open container with a twine ball in place, fig. 4 shows the container in section , closed around the ball, fig. 5 shows a perspective drawing of an example of a retainer means for a dispenser/container, and fig. 6 shows an embodiment example of the assembled dispenser set in accordance with the invention, comprising dispenser/container and retainer. It is now referred to fig. 1 , which shows an open and empty dispenser/ storage container 1 for a specially adapted twine ball, i. e. a ball having adapted outer dimensions, being substantially spherical and with twine feed-out from the inside. The ball itself does not constitute any part of the invention, but is preferably manufactured adapted to the concrete design of the container 1. In general, closure of the container 1 , which mainly consists of two hemispherical container parts 2 and 3, can take place by screwing or bayonet- type closure at the edges of the hemispheres to form a complete sphere or ball, but the preferred closure type is a hinge 7 in an area 8 of the hemisphere edges in combination with a snap lock 9,9 located at a distance from the hinge 7, on the hemisphere edges. It is possible to arrange for more than one such snap lock, but sufficient and proper closure is achieved by one single snap lock, placed substantially in diametrical opposition to the hinge 7. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the snap lock comprises, as it appears from fig. 1 , on one of the hemispheres 2 an erect, somewhat elastic section 9 having an edge , which engages an opening 9' in the opposite hemisphere 3 and locks the hemispheres 2,3 releasably together. By pushing inward a part of the elastic section 9 which is visible in the opening 9\ the hemispheres 2 and 3 are released again to open the container 1. A hole or an orifice 4 is provided in the wall of one hemisphere 3 for letting out a twine end. The hole 4 is located in a special area of the substantially ball-shaped or spherical dispenser/container 1 , namely in a wide, depressed section 5 which runs round the whole container across the great circle defined by the hemisphere edges when the container is closed, i. e. across the joining circle 19. The depressed section 5 is bounded by abrupt, straight and erect edges 6 on both sides. The depressed section 5 serves as a wind-up section for a long or somewhat long twine end. The hole/orifice 4 is designed to give a braking effect when twine is pulled out, particularly if the exit direction is somewhat inclined, while a radially directed exit will progress more easily. Several shapes of such a braking hole are conceivable, for example a round hole in a thinned- down wall part, having a smaller hole diameter than the diameter of the twine. However, the preferred version of the orifice 4 is shown in fig. 2, and is a cross- shaped split in a thinned-down wall part 14. Such a braking hole 4 will, when winding up a twine end in the wide depression 5, resist effectively and provide taut winding. In addition, there is achieved one further favourable effect, to be mentioned below. In order to arrest the outermost end of the twine end when completing the winding operation, there is according to the invention provided a quick- fastening means in the form of a squeeze tongue 10 on an edge section 12 of one of the hemispheres, in the embodiment shown hemisphere 3. In the closed container state, see fig. 2, the squeeze tongue 10 engages an edge section 11 of the opposite hemisphere, in the embodiment shown hemisphere 2. For removal of an excess and undesired twine end after winding up and squeezing tight by means of the squeeze tongue 10, or quite simply for cutting of a desired, free lengtht of twine, there is provided a knife edge 13 on the hemisphere opposite to the hemisphere with the squeeze tongue 10, and in a position which is covered by a protruding part 10 ' of the squeeze tongue. By a simple movement upwards and back over this knife edge 13, and thereafter a quick, downward directed jerk, the twine is severed in a simple and safe manner. The knife edge 13 is located underneath the protruding part 10' of the squeeze tongue, so that it is impossible to get a cut wound from the edge as long as the container 1 is closed. Besides, the knife edge 13 is constructed in such a manner that the sharp edge faces inwards, and hence the knife edge is safe against finger wounds whether the container is open or closed. Both from fig. 1 and figs. 3 and 4 it appears that the hemispheres 2 and 3 on the inside are equipped with a number of spikes 15. These fulfil the task of retaining and stabilizing the twine ball 21 , see figs. 3 and 4 which show a cross section through container and twine ball in respectively open and closed states. The cross section is placed in the middle of the depressed field 5 in the preferred embodiment of the invention. It appears clearly from fig. 4 that the spikes 15 penetrate a little into the twine ball 21 , retaining the ball steadily in place. In the exhibited and preferred version of the invention four spikes are included in each hemisphere, but this number is not of crucial importance. A further favourable effect of the braking hole 4 was mentioned above: The dispenser/container according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in a car or some other vehicle, where twine tangles often may constitute a problem, since ordinary twine balls have a tendency to dissolve as time passes. Quite often objects must be roped and secured to a car roof rack or to a trailer, and when alone, it may be problematic to throw a twine end over to the opposite side, especially in windy weather. However, with the container in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the problem is easily overcome: The container is thrown over to the opposite side after having fastened one twine end and pulled out a suitable length, and the sphere/ball will be braked to a standstill on the other side, and possibly hang from the twine due to its own weight, which is sufficient for tautening, but insufficient to pull out more twine against the friction in the hole 4. The material for manufacturing the container may be a metal, e. g. steel, aluminium or sheet metal, or a plastic, preferably polypropylene. In the preferred version of the invention, the whole container is moulded in one piece from polypropylene, i.e. both the hinge 7 and the two hemispheres 2 and 3 can be made in one piece. It is of course also possible to mould each hemisphere separately and thereafter add a separate hinge to connect the two hemispheres. However, the knife edge 13 should preferably be made of a metal, most preferably steel. The knife edge may be a stamped out/cut out piece of a sheet of spring steel, which piece can be snapped into place in a specially adapted recess in the bulk material of one hemisphere. Fig. 5 shows an add-on equipment for the dispenser/storage container 1 , which equipment is useful in many situations, and which provides a complete dispenser set. The add-on equipment is a retainer 16 for fixed, i.e. releasable placing of the dispenser 1 in a closed state. The retainer 16 comprises a rearward mounting plate 22 with holes for screws, and a number of arms or gripping members 17,17 ' which preferably but not necessarily are moulded integrally with the mounting plate 22. The gripping members 17,17 ' are designed with edges which snap into place inside one of the abrupt, straight edges 6 on the container 1 when the container is pushed in between the gripping members 17. To avoid undesired rotation of the container 1 when it is held by the retainer 16, there is provided an edge or an elongate projection 18 on the retainer side which engages the container, this projection 18 being designed for complementary fit in the narrow groove 20 provided between the hemisphere edges when the container 1 is in the closed state. Fig. 6 shows the dispenser/container 1 snapped into the retainer 16, which in turn may be fastened by screws or in some other per se known manner to a wall, a tabletop or to a convenient surface in a car. In figs. 5 and 6 appears an embodiment of the retainer 16 with two gripping members 17,17 ' , but three such gripping members are equally preferable. In the case of two gripping members, at least one of them, shown in fig 5 by reference numeral 17 ' , must be made resilient, while the other member, shown by reference numeral 17, preferably can be of solid and rigid construction. Correspondingly, at least one of three possible gripping members must be of resilient construction. In order to release the container 1 from the retainer 16, one may simply press e. g. a thumb against the resilient member 17 ' , and the container 1 will be set free.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS A dispenser / storage container for a twine ball, said container ( 1 ) being constituted by two container parts ( 2,3 ) and adapted to be opened by separation of said two container parts ( 2,3 ) for access to the interior of the container, and with a hole or an orifice ( 4 ) through the wall of one of said container parts ( 3 ) for feed-out of a twine end, characterized in that the two container parts (2,3) are substantially hemispherical and thereby provide a substantially ball-shaped or spherical container ( 1 ) in an assembled state, but incorporates a deviation from the spherical shape in the form of a depressed, wide section ( 5 ) running round the container across the joining circle ( 19 ) of the hemispheres and being bounded by abrupt, straight edges ( 6 ): that said twine feed-out orifice ( 4 ) is located in said wide section ( 5 ): and that there is provided a quick-action fastening means for extracted twine, in the form of a squeeze tongue ( 10 ) within said depressed section ( 5 ) and on the edge ( 12 ) of one of the hemispheres ( 3 ) for squeeze action down toward an edge section ( 1 1 ) of the other hemisphere ( 2 ). The dispenser of claim 1 , characterized in that the two hemispheres ( 2,3 ) are hinged together by means of a hinge ( 7 ) in an area ( 8 ) of their edges and are equipped with at least one snap-lock ( 9,9') spaced from said hinge ( 7 ) for quick closing together of said container. The dispenser of claim 1 or 2, characterized by a knife edge ( 13 ) located on said other hemisphere ( 2 ) in a position underneath said squeeze tongue ( 10 ) when the hemispheres ( 2,3 ) are assembled, for quick cutting of a twine end from an arrested twine state, whereby the remaining end of the twine stays arrested by said squeeze tongue ( 10 ). The dispenser of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said snap-lock ( 9,9 ' ), quick-action fastening means ( 10 ) and knife edge ( 13 ) are located together in an area substantially diametrically opposed to said hinge ( 7 ) when the container is closed. The dispenser of any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said feed-out orifice ( 4 ) is designed for partial braking of the twine at exit, e. g. like a cross-shaped split in a thinned-down wall part ( 14 ), and to enable use of the container weight for tautening an extracted twine end. The dispenser of any one of the previous claims, characterized by a number, e. g. four, of spikes ( 15 ) on the inside of each hemisphere ( 2,3 ) for arresting and stabilizing the twine ball ( 21 ), said spikes optionally being moulded integrally with the hemispheres ( 2,3 ). The dispenser of any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said hinge ( 7 ) and the two hemispheres ( 2,3 ) are moulded in one piece. 8. A dispenser set comprising a dispenser according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the set also comprises a specially adapted retainer means ( 16 ) for quick releasable fastening of the dispenser ( 1 ), said retainer means having a number of arms or gripping members ( 17 ) for releasably gripping the edges ( 6 ) of the depressed section and having substantially complementary engagement against the spherical shape, as well as an elongate projection ( 18 ) for complementary fit into a groove ( 20 ) provided by the hemisphere edges along the joining circle ( 19 ) of the sphere.

Inventors: HEM PELLE, HEM, PELLE
Applicants: HEM PELLE, HEM, PELLE
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B65D85
IPC codes: B65D85, B65H75